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Chemong, Shining Waters, Selwyn among options for new Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township

A man walks past a sign welcoming people to Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 on Chemong Rd. Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township Mayor Mary Smith said 'the timing is right for Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield to make the change'. As Canada Post moves to drop rural routes designations in Peterborough County and move to longer, more complicated addresses, people will have to change their drivers� licences, business cards and letterheads anyway. CLIFFORD SKARSTEDT/PETERBOROUGH EXAMINER/QMI AGENCY

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In the search for a new name for Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield Township, the Shining Waters proposal is making waves.

The municipality posted a list of possible names for the township at a public meeting it held Tuesday for its strategic plan process. Among the 10 names on the list, Shining Waters took roughly half of the about 25 votes marked down during the three-hour meeting. Chemong (or Chemung) was second with five marks of support.

It’s a small sampling of the extensive consultation that’s underway as the township considers changing the name of the corporation.

The township has received dozens of suggested names from residents through letters, emails, phone calls and conversations. On a list updated Monday, Chemong had the most support, followed by Lakeland and Selwyn.

The township’s accepting suggestions until Monday, then a report will go to township council Dec. 11.

“It’s unfortunate we have to change the name but at the end of the day I understand the logic behind it,” he said on the way out of the meeting at the township office.

Township council wants to consider changing to a shorter name and a single name for the community. The current name comes from the names of the three communities that amalgamated to form the township in 2001.

McClean doesn’t want his township to be called Shining Waters.

“Shining Waters doesn’t do anything for me,” he said. “It’s too long. It doesn’t solve the problem.… This is a community of lakes and rivers. It means something. But it’s too long.”

Helen Young, another Ennismore resident who reviewed the strategic plan recommendations, shared she doesn’t like the idea of changing the township’s name.

If the township goes ahead with its rebranding, she suggested using the acronym SEL for the name.

“The community sees the corporation (the township) as one entity now, not an amalgamation of former municipalities,” she said.

The township’s also reviewing whether to change the system for electing councillors.

One possibility is switching from a ward system, with a councillor elected for each of the Smith, Ennismore and Lakefield wards, to the three councillors being by the entire community. The few for-or-against marks jotted down on a board on Tuesday showed more support for keeping the ward system.

The review of the ward system, the name change proposal and the strategic plan for the municipality will go to council for consideration Dec. 11.

The strategic plan includes recommendations such as making libraries into community hubs, examining the future of the municipally owned Lakefield Campground and expanding the township’s public works yard on Centre Line.

The township’s direction isn’t changing with the new strategic plan, Smith said.

“People want to preserve the cultural heritage of our community. They want to do development that is environmentally sustainable,” she said.